Radish Cover Crop

Why Daikon Radish Is An Excellent Cover Crop
  • Captures and recycles excess nutrients
  • Breaks up soil compaction
  • Very large taproot
  • Quick to germinate and grow rapidly
  • Compatible with numerous other cover crops
  • Fleshy, decomposes well
  • Produce glycosinolate compounds, which can reduce weeds and nematodes
  • Quick canopy to control runoff, reduce soil erosion
  • High production of organic matter (biomass)
  • Normally winter-kill; no need to spray out; organic friendly.

Deep-Rooted Daikon Radish

Using deep-rooted Daikon Radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus)as a cover crop is a great way to address many issues in soil. Deep-rooted Daikon Radish works well to alleviate soil compaction and mellow out the soil. It's one root to easy get excited about!

A byproduct of the radish root penetrating deep into the soil is the natural uptake of nitrogen and other nutrients. Daikon Radish will store those nutrients in the plant and following winter-kill releases them for the cash crop to use.

Radishes are also allelopathic. This means that a radish plant excretes a biochemical that will slow or even stop the growth of weed plants around it.